Telescope Facts

Optical telescopes magnify distant objects by using lenses or mirrors to refract (bend) light rays so they focus (come together).
Other telescopes detect radio waves, X-rays (see X-rays), or other kinds of electromagnetic radiation.
Refracting telescopes are optical telescopes that use lenses to refract light rays.
Reflecting telescopes are optical telescopes that refract light rays by reflecting them off curved mirrors.
Because the light rays are folded, reflecting telescopes are shorter and fatter than refracting ones.
Most professional astronomers do not gaze at the stars directly, but pick up what the telescope shows with light sensors called CCDs.
Most early discoveries in astronomy were made with refracting telescopes.
Modern observatories use gigantic reflector dishes made up of hexagons of glass or coated metal.
Large telescope dishes are continually monitored and tweaked by computers to make sure that the reflector’s mirrored surface stays completely smooth.
The giant mosaic mirror of a huge telescope is at the Smithsonian Observatory, Arizona.

This entry is filed under Interesting Facts.